Ruĝa Spirito
by Spectral Tiger Paradox
Summary: After investigating an anonymous tip Red Hood realizes he has bit off more than he can chew. Now he and some kid are on the run from a crazy government organization. In order to escape they go to the one place he never wanted to step foot in again. The place protected by the man he loathes, Gotham. Will he be able to fight the urge to clean up the city he once called his?
1. Chapter 1

A day in the life of Jason Todd consisted of many things: kicking ass, enjoying the company of his two companions (Kori and Roy), making Bruce's life a living hell from a distance, terrorizing his replacement, kicking more evil ass, and et cetera. Average everyday stuff. Well, average stuff for a resurrected zombie-man with numerous mental issues. Today, however, things are different. Normally at this hour (roughly twelve o'clock in the afternoon), Jason would be sitting at his computer rearranging a few files on the Batcomputer just to make Bat _douche_ paranoid.

 _The fuckin' bastard deserves it_. The raven-haired young adult silently mourned the loss of his daily routine of fucking with Batman. But that sorrow only lasted for a few moments. Anger coursed through his veins, overwhelming any other emotion he felt.

Instead of messing with ' _Bitch_ man, the hero Gotham doesn't need', Jason is in full Red Hood gear, armed to the teeth - automatic handguns, twin blade katanas, explosives. He has every weapon in his arsenal. Except for Arsenal himself. - His motorcycle carried him down an old forest road that has been unused for years- decades even. Cracks and fissures littered the asphalt road. Oak trees of every shape and size surrounded the area, vines and all sorts of flowers grew around their trunks, sunlight shined through the small openings between the branches. The scattered beams of light illuminated bushes and flowers perfectly, creating a mystical scene from a Renaissance landscape painting. It was tempting to stop and take a picture for Damian. The little hellion would love to paint this scenery. Unfortunately, Jason has very little time to indulge in such activities considering the circumstances. Under very, _very_ different circumstances he would totally snag a picture for his baby brother.

Red Hood's gloved hands gripped tightly on the handlebars - so tightly his knuckles turned white - preventing them from twitching towards his guns. Why? Because right now he was just about ready to blast a hole into anyone who crossed his path. Lazarus green rage burned in the back of Jason's mind, trying to fuel his anger. A bright, ominous green had already crept into the edges of his icy blue eyes. But he refused to give in and stood his mental ground against the Pit.

Red Hood focused his thoughts elsewhere- away from the blinding hot fury toiling inside himself. He took a deep breath and channeled every ounce of self-restraint he had. It helped calm the Pit as well as the urge to shoot. The desire to _kill_. His special breathing exercises would be enough to keep the Pit Rage at bay… for now. Fear lingered in the back of Jason's mind. Fear for what will happen as his solo mission progresses. The situation is so fucked up Jason actually considered going full rage mode, something he has not done in a long time- and all this turmoil is because of _a single fucking tip_.

As Red Hood sped down the road it slowly faded from aged asphalt to grass and dirt, forcing him to decrease speed- Running into a tree had become too great of a hazard for him to continue at his previous pace. The woodland before him thickened. Trees grew where the road once lied, forming odd shapes around leftover chunks of misshapen asphalt. _It's a good thing I actually bothered to look at that god damn tip._ Jason thought, attempting to focus on driving rather than his borderline-unbridled rage. Sadly, the Pit did its damnedest to remind him just how pissed he was. _Now I know exactly who I need to slowly and painfully disembowel._

Tips weren't something Red Hood - and by extension Jason - read or looked at. In fact, he generally ignored tips, especially the anonymous ones. The anonymous ones that have no way to trace them back to any person/location and are so encrypted only a Bat can decode them. Those are the types of tips he puts special care into avoiding. But this tip, in particular, caught his attention- made itself damn near impossible to disregard or ignore mainly due to one thing: **Experimentation**. **On**. **Children**. (And the fact the anonymous tipper left it right at his front door. Literally, not metaphorically.)

The tests- No, _the torture_ is conducted by a government-funded and _approved_ agency. A dangerous U.S. (United States/American) government organization - he has somehow never heard of until now - that uses their time and resources to experiment on unsuspecting youths. And that. _That_ was not something Red Hood or Jason Todd could forgive. A crime he could not allow to go unpunished. He has killed people in cold blood for more minor offenses. Hell, even Kori and Roy flipped out when they learned about the _G.I-Assholes_ (G.I.W) and their ' _little experiments_.'

Convincing the two heroes - or antiheroes, depending on the day - to stay behind was a debacle all on its own, but Jason managed to assure them he would put an end to this unholy shitshow. And that he wouldn't lose control in the process. Thus why Red Hood is on route to Amity Park, Ohio… or, more accurately, what is left of it. His silent motorcycle swiftly weaved through the trees as he guided it toward the remains of the town, coming to a stop once he reached the outskirts.

Massive oaks loomed overhead in an ominous fashion. An odd scent permeated the air. Jason's immediate response is to scrunch his nose in disgust. Something sharp and acidic that stung his nostrils, and made him feel like his eyes were burning. For an unknown reason, it vaguely reminded Jason of the chemical stench a Lazarus Pit emanates. He cringed at the unpleasant memory, _Thanks for nothing helmet._ Soon another scent penetrated his not-so-airtight headgear; It mingling with the first smell and created some kind of unholy lovechild. Unlike the faux Lazarus scent, he recognized the new one. The second scent Jason got a whiff of was more than just familiar- It came along with the job. A foul odor indicated that a rotten corpse - hopefully an animal and not a child - hid nearby.

Crows and ravens crowed at him from their wooden perches, eyeing him, and each other, threateningly. The ravenous scavengers were likely preparing to fight for the right to feast upon the decaying body. Suddenly, the birds stiffened and ceased their cacophony of noises. In a matter of seconds, they spread their wings and took flight, forming a massive swarm as they frantically flew away from the area. _Okay… That's weird_ , Jason thought. _Why did they leave?_ A single crow swooped out of the shadows all of a sudden, talons stretched out in Jason's direction. Sharp nails began to assault the vigilante's shiny helmet before he had a chance to dodge the bird.

"FUCKIN' HELL!" Red Hood shouted, swatting at the menace attacking his armor. "Go away, ya damn bird!" Its' lethal talons scraped across the red metal, causing various sized scratches, as it wildly flailed its wings and claws. With a perfectly timed blow, Red Hood sent the bird flying into a tree. A loud thump resounded through the air. The infernal poultry didn't move from its' spot on the ground. It didn't even look like it was breathing.

 _Please be dead_ , he prayed. The vigilante pushed himself off the motorcycle and cautiously began to approach the seemingly perished bird. Under the shimmering beams of light, the crow's feather held on unusually color. Jason narrowed his eyes. Crows are supposed to be black, however, this beast is anything but. The color's tone was dark. Almost black in nature, but- _Ugh! Quit being a paranoid, over-analytical Bat! It is just a crow… or a night terror in disguise._ Raised by a detective or not, now is not the time for Jason to be channeling his inner sleuth. Especially over a fucking bird.

He huffed and reached for the guns strapped to his waist. Better to be safe rather than sorry, fallen ass first on the ground, and being attacked by an asshole avian. Red Hood managed to get three more steps before the crow slightly shifted. The automatic handguns resting in his hands were instantly trained on the foul fowl, aimed directly at its' head.

Right before his eyes, the crow transformed into a reflection of its' inner darkness. Oddly colored feathers shifted to a bright, disgusting neon green; Certain appendages became lengthened and malformed. The creature's neck stretched across the ground like a heinous, feathery serpent. Normal-sized wings cracked and extended, becoming disproportionately larger than the bird's body. Finally, its' tail feathers morphed into a long, scaly lizard tail.

Red Hood's eyes widened beneath his helmet and domino mask. His heart pounded against his chest as he slowly took a step back. The demon lifted its' gangly neck and glared at him with beady, red eyes. A hellish hiss escaped its' almost toothy beak. Red Hood shuddered. _What the fuck is this thing? Because it sure as hell isn't a bird!_ He has seen his fair share of demons, mystical creatures, and aliens but nothing quite like this. The demonic fowl unsteadily rose to its' clawed feet, and let out a ferocious roar. With speed parallel to the Flash, it whizzed passed him, giving one last defiant scratch at his helmet.

Red Hood blindly shot at the creature as it flew by. Out of fourteen shots, one hit. The beast shrieked in pain when the bullet penetrated its' wing - clumsy flying became erratic wing-flapping - green liquid oozed from the wound, dripping onto the ground below. Then, with the grace of a drunk squirrel, it dove into the shadows. Effectively vanishing from his line of sight. He aimed his guns at the empty treetops. Nothing rushed out to attack him. No infernal squawks of fury echoed throughout the forest. The bird, monster thing - Whatever the damn beast was, it left, but not without leaving Jason with a souvenir.

A small pool of luminescent, green blood sat on the ground. Red Hood sifted through his utility belt's pouches until he found a cotton swab and small plastic bag. He carefully collected a sample of the substance, zipped it the bag, and placed it securely in his belt. As Jason closed the pouch he thought, _One way or another I'm going to find out what the hell ya are, ya damned flying rat!_ And next time he sees it, a bullet is going right through its' pea-sized brain.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author Note: This chapter is the product of an extremely tired writer, so please let me know if you spot any inconsistencies or errors. By the way, I plan on trying to post a chapter at least once a month._

* * *

Red Hood, who is now in possession of what he can only assume is demon blood, opted to turn his attention toward the real reason he came to Ohio. Amity Park: The place his fucking tip lead him to.

Over the years of neglect and abandonment, a mighty oak forest devoured the town, aiding Mother Nature in her attempt to take back what was once hers. Dilapidated buildings overrun with plants (vines, moss, and trees) are scattered throughout the woodland. Each tree is interesting in its own way; Some twisted into unique shapes around slabs of broken asphalt and crumbled buildings. All the plant life shimmered and shined with a dim neon green glow. Most certainly unnatural in origin. It looked like… like someone dumped radioactive waste over Amity Park and left it there to integrate into the local flora and fauna. That _would_ explain the demon (mutant?) crow.

The state of his surrounds did not instill any form of reassurance or calm. If the town were human, it would be the poster child for ghost towns and creepy haunts. Hell, people never built a new town because they believed the place is cursed; He suspected they might be right.

Fear. Dread. _Apprehension_. Coupled with an annoying sensation nagging at the back of his mind. A sensation akin to intuition or a gut feeling. It set _all_ his nerves on fire, and raised every red flag that says 'Hey, somethin' isn't quite right here.' Something like… Well, Jason isn't sure what it is like aside from a mishmash of emotions and pure primal instinct. Jason knew something or someone is there, hidden in the depths of this godforsaken town. He knew that something/someone is dangerous, fierce, abnormal… and _hurt?_

Moreover, whatever that being may be, avoiding it should be a top priority.

How could just a single look at the town make him feel this way? Why is it affecting his emotions like this? The answer to those questions may never be known.

Jason hadn't felt strange when he fought the crow, but now all of a sudden he is emotion central- Complete with a nifty sixth sense. What next? A seventh sense? Maybe even a ninth sense?

"Oh, joy! I'm becomin' the _psychic_ antihero, how fun… _"_ Jason joked, nervously. "Been waiting to upgrade from _psycho_." All the while his dangerously green eyes darted from building to building before settling on the 'road.' The pavement and asphalt hardly formed an unobstructed path- it barely existed, meaning he would have to abandon his precious motorcycle and continue on foot. _I'll be damned if I leave my beautiful creation out here for some crazy asshole to steal._ Red Hood returned to his 'vigilante-cycle' and gripped the handlebars, carefully rolling it alongside himself as he approached the ruins. Every step he took require him to steel his frayed nerves; The intensity of those odd feelings increased with each one.

Then Jason hesitated mid-step. The threshold between the forest and the town is so close, his feet barely an inch away from the border, but he cannot bring himself to cross it. His heart pounded against his ribcage, rage-filled blood now ran as cold as ice, an uncontrollable tremor ran through his bones- igniting the desperate urge to run far, far away as it crept down his spine. An ominous feeling persisted to wear his nerves, threatening that once he crossed the line there was no turning back.

And Jason really wanted to turn back. To back away and never return... At the same time, he knew he couldn't- turning back became a non-viable option the moment he read the first words on that fucking note.

Children are in danger. More danger than ever conceivable considering how lethal the experiments are and long these assholes have gotten away with this bullshit.

 _Oh, come on, Jason! Suck it up!_ Red Hood berated himself. He slowly stepped into the town and shuddered. _Little kids need your help! This- This is just a town… A really creepy abandoned town flooded with lunatics apart of a psychotic government organization and freaky animals. Just like Gotham, except for the 'abandoned town' part._ Red Hood continued along the road - if it could even be called that at this point - his trusty bike rolling along the ground beside him.

Aside from the concerning level of dread and anger in his mind, he thought about his destination. According to his sources - inside and outside the League of Assassins - at the town's center (the heart of this disgusting mess) he would find the infamous 'Guys In White'; Also known as the culprit behind numerous missing children cases. The G.I.W would kidnap children with black hair and blue eyes. Honestly, it was pretty funny (in a sick twisted way) that they have the same preferences as Batman.

 _Who'd have thought_ _blue eyes and black hair would become so popular throughout the hero and villain communities? Maybe Batman started a trend._ Red Hood snorted. An odd modulated sound echoed from his helmet. _That_ is why he can't laugh or make any noises aside from speech with the damn thing on- He'll just sound like some crazy demonic creature. Jason still hasn't gotten to fixing his helmet after 'The Demonic Screeching Incident'. That was a great day… at least for him. No expression of pure terror has ever graced Roy's face like it did on that day.

" _Jesus Christ,_ _Jason, what the hell is wrong with your helmet?! You sound like a 'Bop It' that got dropped on the floor too many times!_ " The ghost of Roy's horrified voice sparked a fit of laughter to erupt from Red Hood. Any wildlife hidden amongst the trees and buildings fled, no doubt trying to escape whatever devilish - or devilishly good looking in Jason's case - creature made those dreadful noises. A grin broke out across his masked face as his chortling slowly faded into soft chuckles before disappearing completely.

Sadly, his amusement was short-lived. Any humor Jason felt died - not even his mirth could survive death, but, much like him, it will be resurrected… _eventually_ \- However, that didn't matter at the moment because he forgot the most important rule of wandering in uncharted territory.

Batman's warning echoed in his head, " _Remember, Jason, never draw unnecessary attention to yourself when you are in enemy territory, especially if you don't know where you are. You don't know who or what could be lurking around the corner waiting to attack you._ " Red Hood froze. The color immediately drained from his face, mouth flattening into a grim line. _Fucking old man and his wise-ass lessons on vigilantism._ Lessons that were actually helpful in the long run; They would be even better if he didn't have to remember that bastard's voice.

Red Hood slipped his hands off the motorcycle, allowing them to hover just above his guns, and positioned himself in a defensive stance. _If something appears, shoot it. It's as simple as that… Right?_

With narrowed eyes, he cautiously scanned the ruins for sentient life. It was quiet. Maybe a little too quiet. Sure, he scared away the birds and other animals, but the silence seemed unnatural. As time went on, no potential foes made their presence known. Not even a single leaf rustled. Amity Park is empty. Deserted… aside from the insane organization hidden within the heart of the town.

An expression of anger quickly replaced Red Hood's threatening look. His lips curled back in disgust, eyes glaring at the ground in rage. _And, of course, now I am thinking about those asses again!_ Jason vividly remembered everything else the G.I.W was responsible for.

A deadly green threatened to cloud his vision. The Pit screamed, " _Kill them. Kill them all! Make them suffer!_ " The thought alone was enough to cause a death grip to return to his vehicle's handles, specifically to keep his hands far away from the guns strapped to his waist. _Fuck!_ Jason desperately tried to squash down the Pit's influence but it was too strong.

Other than kidnapping, the 'Guys in White' seemed fond of arson and killing people with a mysterious substance- some radioactive green sludge.

For those reasons, no one attempted to reconstruct any form of civilization here. People were too scared; Too convinced the very land they stood on was cursed, all because of the 'extracurricular activities' performed by the G.I.W.

Information involving those weird slime deaths was sparse and well hidden. However, there isn't anything in the world any ex-Bat can't dig up. So Red Hood grabbed his trusty shovel and dug. The images he found were not pretty, to say the least. When sat side-by-side next to Jason's own photos (post-death) one could actually call the Joker _, a deranged lunatic who kills people for fun_ , merciful. The implication of his murderer being less barbarous than _anyone_ pissed him off even more- Adding more fuel to the burning fire of rage in Jason's heart; Fanning the blaze until it grew twice as large. _The Joker should never be considered merciful!_ _Not after what he did._ Jason was beaten bloody and blown to bits… Okay, maybe not 'bits' but an explosion is still an explosion.

The victims of the 'Guys in White' suffered a far worse fate than his. Some photos featured a burnt smudge; Others showed a charred corpse; The really hard to find ones- No words could be used to describe them without him losing his lunch. During his time as a vigilante, Jason has seen so many unspeakable horrors… things no one can unsee. The G.I.W's victims will forever be something Jason can't unsee. Something that has plagued his nightmares ever since he started investigating the dastardly organization.

The Pit filled his mind with thoughts of all the horribly painful ways he could torture these bastards. Fantasies about hunting and killing every last agent played in his mind, like a disturbing horror movie he couldn't pause or turn off.

Nevertheless, Red Hood soldiered onward. His legs shook slightly as he made his way through the abandoned town. Each breath he took was slow and deliberate. Breathing techniques are his only weapon against the Pit right now.

 _'cause I am a colossal idiot_ , Jason thought. _Kori and Roy could snuff the Pit's influence in an instant. But nnnooooooo! You just had to do a fine ass job convincing them you would be okay. And now you can't even control your fuckin' anger without them!_

It is a miracle he hasn't fully succumbed the Pit yet- that he hasn't fallen into an uncontrollable bout of Pit Rage. But, oh boy, it is lingering on the edges of his consciousness, continuously whispering sweet nothings into his (metaphorical) ears about every way he can commit murder. The Pit suggested everything from decapitation to an extremely painful drawn-out death. As tempting as it may be, Jason needs to be in control, not the Pit. He can't run into the G.I.W facility guns blazing and laughing maniacally; Definitely not if there is a bunch of scared, tortured kids trapped in the facility… That would not make the _best_ first impression.

Red Hood sighed, aggressively kicking at some of the debris littering the ground as he walked towards his destination. _This is the fucking worst_. Maybe he should have let his friends come with him. Starfire and Arsenal would have been the perfect backup, and they could stop his crazy ass from going insane with Pit Rage. _I miss them..._

Red Ho- _Jason_ paused and tilted his head up. The sky is mostly obscured by the vast treetops casting black shadows over the entire town. Hints of dark grey rolled passed the small openings between branches. Bright rays of sunshine vanished in the blink of an eye. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Look's like I'm not the only one bring the storm to this fight." He chuckled, darkly.


	3. Chapter 3

The base of The Outlaws is a unique one indeed, and certainly nothing like Superman's Fortress of Solitude or Batman's Batcave. Neither ice nor stone chilled the base's inhabitants. No symbolic, flying mammals hung from the structure's ceiling. Not a single non-lethal and un-deadly hero dwelled within its' walls.

Instead, sand and soil coated the grounds and vast open water surrounded the land. Trees - ranging from palm, coconut, mahogany, ceiba, caimito, guaiacwood, and the ever rare black/red mangrove - sprouted out of the terrain, thriving in the area's natural warm temperature. Guaiacwood being one of the more admirable of the bunch with its stunning blue and white blossoms. Only the land's native flowers and decorative vines could outshine the small tree. And residing within the lush landscape is a plethora of different animals: Frogs/toads, iguanas, birds (Spindalis, owls, crows, limpkin, and so on), bats, squirrel monkeys, hutias, and et cetera. These factors created a lively atmosphere, undoubtedly more lively than that of other secret HQs. As for the human and extraterrestrial inhabitants, none can be considered harmless, innocuous or non-fatal.

Yes, The Outlaws' headquarters is without a doubt no hidden underground cavern or arctic alien edifice- a home, the base doubled as a home. A place for the group of antiheroes to work and unwind after a long day. A loved dwelling fashioned from the skeleton of a crashed Tamaranean spaceship; Nestled between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean nearby a little island paradise known as Puerto Rico- Though it is nowhere near as wondrous as St. Martinique. Nevertheless, the island stole the hearts of its visitors, acting like sweet honey and luring in all those wishing to relax in a tropical haven. Sightseers and travelers come and go on a mere whim regularly. Luckily none will ever behold their hideout. The spacecraft is a ways away - out of sight from prying eyes and tourists - on a remote isle uninhabited by civilians. Even if they did spot it, they would never venture into the surrounding waters. Why? Because the charming island is located in the Bermuda Triangle... albeit it's extremely close to the Triangle's borders.

In a world riddled with dangerous magic and crazed villains, none - except the idiotic and insane or insanely well-versed in magic/technology/combat - dared to enter the Devil's Triangle. Not even willing to go a millimeter past the threshold. The Outlaws fell somewhere in the latter category. And of course, they have no problem entering and exiting their odd secluded islet.

Though assuring the safety of said land is another matter entirely. While ordinary humans tend to avoid the island and attacks on it are very rare, there is no telling when an unnatural threat could pop up. Especially considering the mysteriousness of the location. But wonder and mystery aside, many unknown and undiscovered dangers lurk in the ocean's murky waters. Some places unrecorded by ancient cartographers. Others monsters and beasts never before seen, or seen and too lethal to escape from. However, these facts did not deter The Outlaws. Each member of the team has their own strengths and weaknesses. They balance each other, working together like a well-oiled machine. Nothing can stop them.

Not even an eldritch horror ascending from the ocean's depths can prevent the trio from protecting their home.

Jason Todd, AKA Red Hood, spent years training deep within the Himalayas alongside a group known to a select few as the All-Caste. Pure stubbornness alone allowed him to pass their trials and learn their mystical secrets- and aided him in gaining a very special weapon: The All-Blades. A set of powerful knives capable of slicing through the greatest evils. Needless to say, if true evil chose to assail their island, the ancient knives could vanquish it in mere seconds.

Then there is the team's second member, Roy. Roy Harper, AKA Arsenal, devoted his childhood to studying under Green Arrow before he decided to strike out on his own. His accrued knowledge of anything and everything technological makes him the most tech-savvy member of the team. Working around the Bermuda Triangle's electromagnetic interference was as easy as tying a shoe. Even if the initial attempts took far longer than he would admit.

And last but not least: Koriand'r (Kori), AKA Starfire, a born and raised alien princess from the planet Tamaran, is a spirited warrior capable of burning armies to the ground. What more needs to be said?  
Together these troubled antiheroes protect their home, and citizens of the world in their own - highly frowned upon - way.  
Naturally, most would imagine this well-protected headquarters to be quiet and peaceful, serene even. Which is, sadly, not the case. While the island is shielded from most baddies and villains, the true chaos comes from within...

"FUCK IT ALL!" The frustrated howl echoed throughout the base's metallic hall and across the area surrounding the renovated aircraft. Flocks of birds fled from their perches atop the ship's exterior; Small rodents and mammals scurried away from hidden nooks and niches. These startled animals vanished deeper into the forest. Each attempt to put as much space as possible between them and the horrid roar. Some took off for faraway treetops and others dove into remote brush.

Deep within the ship, passed twisting and turning labyrinthine halls, lied a small room. It contained everything one would need for some light researching: a metal desk, a plush rolling chair, stacks of paper, pens/pencils/markers, a small whiteboard, and a computer. Currently, the room has one occupant. An exasperated researcher whose project far exceeded 'light research'. The dim light from a computer screen lit room's small desk and by extension a certain red-haired archer. A red-haired archer who happened to be clothed in a stained, musty undershirt with matching shorts.

Roy sighed before slamming his head on the table before him, hands digging into his hair and clutching at the crimson locks. Why is this so fuckin' complicated?! The research alone should be easy enough, but somehow all possible avenues lead right to a dead end. Just wild goose chases at every corner. It made no sense! How can he not have a single lead on this 'CW' guy?!

Roy slowly freed his hands from his hair and pushed himself upright, grumbling in irritation, "...damned, worthless database. I swear, Jason, you better be grateful if I find our perp-"

A gentle knock distracted him from his grievances. He shifted slightly toward the door as a voice filtered through.

"Roy, are you all right?" The voice belonged to none other than a worried Kori- his beautiful, fiery-haired, kind-of-girlfriend. A turn of the door handle is his only warning before she slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside. Something akin to worry settled on Kori's face as she entered. She had no doubt prepared to voice her concerns and worries about his current situation. However, Roy found himself drastically unprepared as the door slowly revealed her. Flaming red tresses draped down to her hips, highlighting the unique tangerine-colored skin below... and combine with her clothes. Clearly, the deadliest thing known to man has appeared before him.

A rosy hue shaded Roy's cheeks as he looked at her outfit. Or lack thereof. Only a few strings cover Kori's frame- And the less said about them the better. After all, how can an outfit like that be legal?! Because it really shouldn't be. Not if all men, extraterrestrials and humans alike, want to keep a certain thing... down.

Roy glanced away. _She's going to be the death of me. I will die and this is the last thing I'll see... Damn it, Kori, sometimes I really wish you understood modesty. Especially since now is not the time for thinking about casual sex!_

With a new resolve and steeled nerves, he redirected his gaze back to Kori, who's expression quite noticeably changed from concern to something else. Blatant disapproval. Instead of looking at him, she now eyed the space he has been holed up in; Judging by the drastic shift in expression, his lover did not approve of the room's condition. Loose papers and trash littered the floor. Empty cans covered the small desk. Also, Roy is certain there is a plate of stale food... somewhere?

Where did he end up putting it?

Well, that mystery will be solved later. Probably when Kori forces him to clean the room, which Roy fully intends to do. At some point. Definitely, before Jason returns. The massive mess would no doubt irk his best friend even more than Kori. Jason could be as strict as a sixty to seventy-year-old butler when it came to cleanliness- forget being Batman's protégé, Alfred was his friend's true teacher in the arts. The art of literature, cooking, and custodian warfare. Or in Jason's words, the art of 'kick-ass with a broom and dustpan'.

Roy cringed as Kori lightly knocked an empty energy drink can out of her way as she came further into the room. Then she stopped in front of him. Arms crossed and a single eyebrow raise, Kori spoke in a tone similar to that of a disappointed mother, "Roy."

"Uh, yes?" He replied, sheepishly.

"Are you or are you not okay?" The question came out softer than his name, but still held a tone that demanded answers.

"Yes? No? Maybe... Ugh!" Roy threw his hands up in an exasperated gesture, then slammed them on the desk with a _bang_. Is he okay? Nothing about this situation is okay... In fact, it fucking sucks! His one job - the one thing Jason asked of him before he left - was a pointless endeavor. "I don't know! This bullshit is infuriating. I've scoured our entire database - any database I can hack - and I can't find a god damn thing about this 'CW' character." He searched and searched and searched, and for what? Nothing. To find nothing. Out of all accessible databases domestic and foreign, Roy found absolute shit regarding 'CW', the phantom of the year. Hell, an actual ghost would be easier to find! All they'd have to do is give Constantine a call, and boom- Ghosts, spirits, and other supernatural bullshit as far as the eye can see.

"They are not a previous enemy or ally?" Kori inquired, leaning closer to look at the computer screen.

Roy sighed and followed her gaze. A list - compiled from many, many databases - of known wizards, witches, and general magic users sat on the screen. "From what I can tell, no. For starters, we don't have any magical or stealthy foes that use those initials, and anyone with those initials just isn't good enough to leave a note on our fuckin' doorstep without us noticing. Second, we aren't exactly good at 'make friends', so I doubt we have any allies who would warn us about this. Or leave their initials on vital intel." Roy paused for a moment. Did he miss anything? Oh, right- "Plus, Jaybird didn't mention having any more mysterious acquaintances like that creepy-ass _Essence_ chick or ' _The Untitled_ '."

Silence fell upon the room as Kori began to ponder something. Perhaps his current level of okay-ness? Or, maybe how she is going to rope him into one of her _Kori Talks TM_?

Both he and Jason swear that Kori could be a fantastic counselor if she wanted to. Her talks are staple for their sanity... especially Jason's. And as helpful as a talk might be, Roy can not handle an in-depth conversation about his feeling right now. Later, definitely. But not now.

Clearly reaching a conclusion, she started, "I see, that is indeed troubling. Why don't you take a break? You have been at this ever since Jason left to investigate that- What would you call it? Ghost town?" Roy gave a slight nod to answer. "- when he left to investigate that ghost town, Amity Park. You could use a break. A moment to relax and get your mind out of this-" She then gestured to the entire room, "- dark space."

 _A break, huh?_ Roy can agree with her on that. He does need a moment to collect his thought- get his head clear and refocus on his mission. His ghost hunting mission. However, while he can think of a lot of other activities he would rather partake in, this seemingly impossible search took priority. After all, what if this 'CW' is a member of G.I.W? What if this is some kind of sick and twisted taunt? Or, a demented form of boasting? Are they saying to themself 'Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha, no one has noticed us doing this for years! Now we're going to rub it in your face!' or something similar? How could Roy live with him if these suspicions are true? Would he ever be able to forgive himself?

No. No, he wouldn't.

 _Sorry, Kori, but it doesn't look like I have a break scheduled on my agenda. So I can't stop yet. Not while 'CW' is a wildcard in this dangerous game of Bullshit._

Roy straightened his back and looked Kori dead in the eyes. With turned down lips and steel in his voice, he made his stance on the matter known, "No can do, Princess. Children are in trouble- captured, caged, and forced to be guinea pigs in deadly experiments; 'CW' may just be a key culprit in this operation. And you know I want to make sure every bastard responsible for this mess rots in the worst fuckin' hell imaginable. Maybe even tie them up and hand-deliver them to the Goddess of Justice herself! Besides, if I know you as well as I think I do, you are not pleased with these G.I.W assholes either. They've checked off a lot of your shit lists requirements."

Roy internally winced once his mini-rant ended. Making a subtle jab at Kori's past had not been apart of the plan. A light recount of his feelings? Yes. Potentially drudging up traumatic memories from her past? No. Never... but it happened anyway.

In his mind, a certain thought surfaced. _Oh, God. I'm a fucking failure at everything, aren't I?_ Despite all the hours and effort he put into it, Roy has not found a single thing about their mysterious tipper, 'CW'. He can't look after Jason. Jason, his best friend, who is miles away and has no immediate backup. Jason, who Roy cannot help but believe isn't ready to fly sole yet. Not after what happened. Jason, who gave Roy a very important job to complete. A job leading to failure at every turn. And now, he had unintentionally struck Kori in an emotionally sensitive area.

 _Why do I suck at everything?_

Thankfully, his fiery lover chose to ignore the unconscious attempt to cause provocation- because she is amazingly awesome like that. It really made Roy wonder what he did to deserve her. Or, if he did deserve her. Probably not, given his past and all. Though that merely made him appreciate the friendship and love they share even more.

Kori uncrossed her arms and continued with a gentle yet firm tone, "You are right, Roy. This situation does not please me in the slightest. However, you can not expect to be of any use to Jason or these hurt children in your current state. You haven't slept; You haven't eaten; You haven't even bathed! Not to mention, the bags under your eyes rival that of a raccoon's markings! How exactly do you hope to find anything about this 'CW' or be able to aid Jason if he calls upon us?"

"I- it's just... Kori, you're overreacting. I'll be fine. I _am_ fine." Roy argued.

He is fine. At least, as fine as he can be considering the circumstances. Sure, Roy hasn't slept, or put much care into hygiene, or eaten anything aside from a few snacks... Okay. Yeah, his one and only voice of reason has a point. A person dead on their feet with an empty stomach can do little in a war against an evil organization. "Just a couple more hours - two or three at the most - and I'll take a break, have a snack, or whatever." Surely that answer will satisfy his worried lover... right?

Kori's lips turned down, eyes narrowing at the same time. Okay. Apparently, that wasn't the right answer. But he can still salvage this!

...Right?

Yeah. Yeah! All Roy needs to do is give her some proper reassurance. He opened his mouth before properly closing it, eyeing Kori's face. She leveled him with a stern expression- And there goes the possibility of any future _successful_ attempts to reassure her.

Roy silently dreaded her next course of action. Based on previous events (long therapeutic talks, lectures, and the like), Kori would not let this fly. Nor would she fly away. To his surprise, she just muttered ' _Human stubbornness..._ ' in a half fond, half irritated manner. Roy followed her with his eyes as she turned and began walking away, however, the moment she vanished behind him that became an impossible task.

He jolted when two hands grasped his shoulders. Roy turned his head and gave her a questioning glance. "Uh, what- What are you doing?"

Kori remained silent. She pushed him to the other side of the room, and he did nothing to impede her little mission. Merely watched as the desk got further and further away- Until the sensation of movement ceased and he found himself staring at the computer from the opposite side of the room. The furthest point from any research tools. And- And the one thing housing every bit of information he has sifted through over the past...

How many days has it been? Two? Three? Four? It can't be higher than that. There is no way he has spent _five_ days researching.

Movement drew Roy out of his thoughts. His love had already proceeded to walk back to his previous location and take a hold of the PC, which she promptly sent sailing toward the nearest wall. With a _thump_ , the two collided. The computer crashed to the ground, but remain mostly intact. Only a few dents and scratches covered its' surface.

Roy jumped up and shouted, "C-christ, Kori, what the fuck?! I was using that!"

She remained faced toward her prey, looking at it instead of him. "Yes, you were. And now you are not. I have been patient with you, Roy. I let you barricade yourself in this dark, musty room for three days because I though you need some time to process these... unfavorable discoveries. Clearly, I was wrong. The time for holing yourself away is over, now is the time for talking. Serious talking. No avoiding questions, no trying to escape the conversation, and-" Kori stretched out her arm, palm flat and hand glowing bright green. A star bolt shot out, aiming right for the crushed computer's remains. It hit with a bang. Bits and pieces of its' electrical components scattered across the room; Only a black smudge remained. Roy's jaw dropped at the complete destruction of his work. A small part of him felt enraged, but the majority of his being had resigned to his fate. "- no working while we talk."

"But-" He weakly started, sending Kori a pleading look.

Unfortunately for him, she stood firm on the matter. Giving him her patented ' _I am not taking any bullshit_ ' face, Kori scooped Roy out of the chair, holding him bridal style, and started walking. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her neck.

"No 'buts', only talking. Any information regarding 'CW' will still be there once we are done."

Roy sighed, internally. This is not how he expected his day to go. First, he fails his epic quest to hunt down 'CW'. Then, his computer - and by extension, all of his hard found research - was destroyed. And now? Now he has been forcibly removed from his designated 'brooding area' and is being whisked away to talk about his feelings.

Why can't a man be left to wallow in peace?

"This is cruel..." He muttered, softly, not intending for Kori to hear it. But it did not come as a surprise that she did anyways.

"I believe Jason would call it 'tough love'."

 _'Tough love'? Yeah, that does sound like something Jaybird would say._


	4. Chapter 4

_Author Note: Sorry for the short chapter... Things have been interesting. Stay safe!_

* * *

Mere minutes passed before Kori brought him to a much need change of scenery. Instead of dingy, cage-like walls, bright blue ocean water spread as far as the eye can see, connecting to the sky at the horizon; clashing with orange and pink hues of sunset. Cirrus (thin, wispy clouds) stretched across the sky, catching the sunset's vivid colors in their water vapor. Ocean waves lapped at the sandy shores. Spindalis (a small bird with a black head and two white stripes running across each side- one above and below the eye, yellow/olive-green neck and chest, and gray to black wings and tail feathers with small white stripes at the edges) sang from their hidden perches. Small island flowers bloomed where the sand met the lush grasses. Truly a beautiful sight to behold, if any were to exist.

Roy and Kori sat along the shore, far enough away that the rising tide fails to reach them. The fiery-haired Tamaranian's expression had long since softened. No more did it hold motherly disappointment- only gentle encouragement can be seen. "Now, what is bothering you?" She started. "And do not say it's the lack of results or the tortured children. I know something else- something far greater is plaguing you."

Roy sighed and turned his gaze away from the scenery, staring at the random patch of sand. _Not giving me many options, are you? Well, guess this talk was bound to happen one way or another. Might as well get it over with already and rip off the metaphorical bandage..._

Kori remained still. A patient smile never left her features as she waited for Roy to speak. Slowly, he shifted to face her, meeting her kind eyes hesitantly. His mouth opened and closed a few times- a frown tugged at the archer's lips before he quietly voiced his troubles, "I know... I'm just- I'm worried about Jaybird. It's been a long time since we haven't been around to back him up on the field, and I'm afraid of what will happen if he runs into the _Bat_. What if his Pit Rage acts up, and we aren't there for him?!"

She carefully placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze. A very welcome gesture at the moment; is further proof of how much Kori cares. "I understand your worries- I'm worried, too. I'll always worry about you two-" Roy's lips quirked up a small fraction at the declaration. "But you should have more faith in Jason. He is strong, kind, and determined. Even if we want to keep him close to home, he will never stay. Not while there are people in need of help. Besides, I was under the impression Batman is unaware of these _glubnorb_."

"Yeah..." He said with a hint of confusion. He needs to have Kori teach him her native language. That would certainly make some of her unique phrases easier to understand. Seriously, what even is a ' _glubnorb_ '?! "He doesn't, but that won't stop me from worrying any less. _Bruce Shame_ isn't called 'The World's Greatest Detective' - and an Outlaw certified shitface - for nothing. If he somehow finds out... Well, let's hope he keeps his damn nose out of this." Disdain laced Roy's tone. And the rant had only just begun. "You know, the one thing that haunts Jay's nightmares more than the Joker is Batman. Especially after that fuckin' stunt he pulled- Well, you know the story. And he still had the audacity to do that to _Jason_ , his alleged son. And- and here I thought Oliver was a shit father. Batman, on the other hand, takes the bloody cake and fuckin' spits on it! He's an asshole- No, the _King of Assholes_!"

By the end of the tirade, Roy is red-faced and huffing. Surprisingly enough, though, he feels a thousand times better than when they started. Like a weight lifted from his shoulders. He carried that simmering, building rage toward Batman - the person who has no business being a parent of one child, let alone five - ever since that damn ' _Incident_ '; With Jason around 24/7, he never allowed himself to express his anger for the injustices done. The red-haired archer firmly refused to remind his best friend of that dreaded day. For the most part, Kori doesn't talk about it either. She only brought it up when Jason needs a good ol' emotional chat. Aside from that, neither a whisper or a shout of the event can be heard in their home.

Roy turned back to Kori. Honestly, he doesn't know when he turned away. Kori's calm had melted and revealed a burning hatred. Her resentment for 'The World's Crappiest Father' ran as deep as his own. "Batman is a true clorbag varblenek!" She growled with venom capable of melting nerves of steel.

" _That_ , I can agree with."

Silence descended upon the beach. The ocean wave's gentle _sloshing_ against sand and rocky alcoves kept it from becoming suffocating. Roy is happy to let the silence stretch out, but one last thing bothered him. "You think he'll call us, right? If he runs into Batman or needs help fighting back the Rage?"

The fiery-haired princess hummed, consideringly. "I like to believe he will. However, you two always manage to surprise me- do things I would never expect. At this point, all we can do is wait and be ready to aid him when he needs us." Not a comforting answer by any means, but it's the answer he got. Hopefully, Kori's belief held true, and Jason calls them if he gets into a jam.

Roy frowned, gazing at the setting sun. _Stay safe, Jay, wherever you are._


End file.
